A method of manufacturing an absorbent article such as a pants-type diaper, a sanitary napkin and a panty liner is implemented in an assembly line.
For instance, a continuous web including top sheets and bottom sheets to form absorbent articles is conveyed under tension in a conveyance direction of the web by a conveyor apparatus.
Then, component members such as a gather (stretchable member) and a waterproof film are placed on the web being conveyed under tension in the conveyance direction.
Meanwhile, the web might stretch or contract in a cross direction (so-called width direction of the web) perpendicular to the conveyance direction, where a stretchable component member, such as a gather or a waterproof film, is arranged.
Particularly, in a conveying method (so-called crosswise conveying method) in which a web is conveyed in a state where a pair of waistline portions to be fitted to the waistline of a wearer extend in the conveyance direction, the web under conveyance is often asymmetrical with respect to a center line in the width direction of the web, and contracts toward the center in the width direction of the web.
Under these circumstances, the inventor(s) is/are aware of a conveyor apparatus for suppressing potential stretch and contraction of the web in the width direction (see PTL 1, for example).
Such a conveyor apparatus includes an endless belt which rotates around multiple rollers, a drive mechanism configured to rotate the belt, and a suction mechanism. Multiple suction holes for sucking the web are formed in the belt. The suction mechanism is configured to suck and hold the web on the belt through the suction holes.
The inventors have discovered that the aforementioned conveyor has the following problem.
Specifically, the suction mechanism is configured to suck and hold the web on the belt by using the air passing through the web and the suction holes.
For this reason, a part of the web enters the suction holes. When a component member (for example, an absorber) is placed on the web while the part of the web enters the suction holes, an air pocket may be formed between the web and the component member, and consequently, may cause a manufacturing defect.